About ninety percent of strokes obviously preventable says new study

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It turns out, unsurprisingly, nine out of ten strokes are preventable only if people will follow the so-called health rules as provided by doctors and scientists.

In a research published in The Lancet: Stroke by scientists from the McMaster University in Canada, it was revealed that all ninety-one percent of strokes–or about one hundred and thirty-eight thousand of which–are avoidable, thus saving lives of about forty-eight thousand people around the world.

In a statement for the Telegraph, Dr. Martin O’Donnell of the McMaster University said that their study underlines the ten ‘modifiable’ risk factors linked with about ninety percent of stroke cases in all regions, in both genders, and young and older.

The study reveals that hypertension–or high blood pressure–is the most important of the risk factor and the key target in reducing the burden of strokes globally. Researchers looked at about twenty-seven thousand stroke victims around the world and compared their lifestyles with people who were considered in good health.

What they found is somewhat obvious to many: high blood pressure is on top of the list of culprits, raising the risk of a stroke by about forty-seven point nine percent. It was followed by physical inactivity with twenty-three point three percent, and poor diet with about eighteen point six percent. Meanwhile, smoking was also highlighted by the research, saying that it raises the chance of stroke by about twelve point four percent, in addition to alcohol with about five point eight percent.

With those numbers, it is easy to create a list that will help people avoid strokes.

First, avoid smoking and drinking alcohol. Second, people should exercise and eat healthy foods–which is expandable–and more importantly: avoid stress which is to me is the most vague.

The report also mentions the importance of taking preventative medication for those already having the symptoms.

The study was titled “Global and regional effects of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with acute stroke in 32 countries (INTERSTROKE): a case-control study,” and it is accessible online via The Lancet website.

Stroke in America

In the United States where people love eating fast food, the CDC–or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention–reveals that stroke kills about one hundred and thirty thousand individuals each year; that is about one in every twenty deaths.

On average, the CDC adds, one American dies of stroke every four minutes.

More importantly, it was also revealed that each year, more than seven hundred and ninety-five thousand Americans have a stroke, and about six hundred and ten thousand of which are ‘first’ or new strokes.

For the economic perspective, the disease is relatively costly–with $34 billion–covering the cost of health care and services, medication, and missed days of work.